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Ask HN: What's the Point of Life?

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Re: Ask HN: What's the Point of Life?

#151

Post by godDLL »

tgflynn wrote: post #7

There are some non-dualists who claim to have an answer to that question. Basically according to them consciousness divided itself in order to experience all the various forms of existence and from the point of view of the (illusory) individual self the goal is to discover that they are in truth nothing other than primordial consciousness (ie. what some call God). Personally I find that explanation circular and unsat…

Ancient hebrews used the telling of personified stories to explain concepts about tribe dynamics that are mathematical in nature. Perhaps something similar is going on here, and you misunderstand the text.

Maybe it is to say that when you turn and meet the eyes of another you already know that you're the same basic stuff. That's why you open your mouth and start talking. Because you know you'll get an answer back.

Perhaps the text is there to remind you of the significance of that intuition, and to look for generality in plurality, as a useful abstraction. There are other texts that seem to teach you the use of fear, vision, smell and taste, touch and feel.

Maybe it's a manual for your vehicle, and not some philosophical movement.

Just a thought.

Re: Ask HN: What's the Point of Life?

#152

Post by godDLL »

davidjytang wrote: post #139

Chiang Kai-Shek, the dictator of the Republic of China (not PRC) , once said, "The meaning of life is to create more lives. The purpose of life is to improve quality of life for all."

I would go "use of life is for it to go on, and a noble goal is to minimize suffering".

Re: Ask HN: What's the Point of Life?

#153

Post by godDLL »

DiggyJohnson wrote: post #19

Do what makes the best story. This often takes the form of an adventure. Not fantastic adventure, a very boring one. But hopefully it has some of the qualities.

That's a good direction to set one off. Love it.

I don't enjoy that question the OP voiced in the framing that he used. I think it's a misguided framing, that does not limit the question sufficiently that it might have a chance at an answer. Which would lead to quite some frustration, and so a life that is not as enjoyable as it might otherwise have been.

I think the impulse to ask that question should be used productively. As in, "What is the game? Here, right now?"

What is it about what I'm going to do now that I'm going to enjoy? How can I make what I'm doing play instead of work?

I think that works better as a general approach.

Re: Ask HN: What's the Point of Life?

#154

Post by godDLL »

oneepic wrote: post #13

Beauty, creativity, diversity, expanding beautiful things in the world, taking the time to absorb the magnitude of it all. Also money and hard drugs /s

If you can do all that in the space of a week, week after week, then sure.

I found out that no, I can't actually manage that.

Maybe you can though. Are you trying right now? How's it going, if I may be so familiar?

Re: Ask HN: What's the Point of Life?

#155

Post by godDLL »

1001101 wrote: post #100

Paraphrasing here from reading this many years ago, but in one of Richard Dawkins' books, the answer someone gave was "I don't know, but I do know I have reservations at my favorite restaurant for lunch and will be having my favorite sandwich." For some reason that has stuck with me. It all ends up about the same with the heat death of the universe.

Knowing what it is you will enjoy and planning for it is part of the answer, yes.

Making room for it.

But there is another component, and it is about finding what it is you will enjoy about anything you're about to engage in. Turn your life into play instead of work.

Re: Ask HN: What's the Point of Life?

#156

Post by godDLL »

nynx wrote: post #12

Does it have to have a point? I'm still young (early 20s) so maybe there's something I'm missing, but I don't see why there has to be a reason for life. It exists and as a result, so do you. Enjoy it, do what's right, and maybe we'll be lucky enough to be the first people for whom life doesn't end.

On the last part, of life not ending for some, we're already too late.

Discuss.

Re: Ask HN: What's the Point of Life?

#157

Post by godDLL »

PlunkettBoy wrote: post #104

Try and leave the world in a little bit better shape than it was when you came into it. And don't be an asshole.

On the first point we agree. I'd add that you shouldn't actually use your analytical engine when doing that, but rather your intuition. Because if you actually start measuring and evaluating your progress you'll come up against entropy, which is an opposing law built into the rules of the universe. So it's like working against gravity. You do need to push, but don't be all about just that.

On the second point we strongly disagree.

<3

Re: Ask HN: What's the Point of Life?

#160

Post by godDLL »

wetpaws wrote: post #37

To reject the shackles of organic life and to destroy the concept of death itself and to transcend the limits of humanity.

That's a good and noble purpose.

How has that been going for you, if you don't mind me asking? Got something to share? Something to show?

I'd love to find out more of what you've done with it.

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